Homo Floresiensis
If they ever find the mummified remains of one of these, I would be interested if the stomach revealed evidence of a second breakfast.
2004-10-28
"Tumor Fever"
I had never heard of it until today. Since I had never heard of it, I didn't believe the nurse and had to google it for myself. She admonished me to stop being a nurse--she is, of course, right.
She described it as the body's "last ditch" effort to rid itself of the advancing cancer. Kind of like setting fire to the town to keep it from being sacked by the Visigoths.
Arlina has had fevers for two days now. Up to 103 this morning, and it just wipes her out. I used ice packs and tylenol to cool her down. I was worried that it was secondary to some sort of infectious process, since she has both an IV line and an epidural catheter in place, but they both look good. And, as the hospice nurse pointed out, an infection isn't necessarily a bad thing in these circumstances. Part of me accepts that, and part of me doesn't.
She has become so thin. I can almost close my fingers around her upper arm. She can only eat a few bites at a time--partially due to nausea, and partially due to the size of her liver, which has pretty much taken over everything. My heart tells me it won't be long.
I am her primary caregiver. I cool her fever, make sure she is comfortable, feed her when she is able to eat. Not as a nurse, but as a husband. I think I understand now what marriage really is. It is being given the gift of caring for the one I love.
She described it as the body's "last ditch" effort to rid itself of the advancing cancer. Kind of like setting fire to the town to keep it from being sacked by the Visigoths.
Arlina has had fevers for two days now. Up to 103 this morning, and it just wipes her out. I used ice packs and tylenol to cool her down. I was worried that it was secondary to some sort of infectious process, since she has both an IV line and an epidural catheter in place, but they both look good. And, as the hospice nurse pointed out, an infection isn't necessarily a bad thing in these circumstances. Part of me accepts that, and part of me doesn't.
She has become so thin. I can almost close my fingers around her upper arm. She can only eat a few bites at a time--partially due to nausea, and partially due to the size of her liver, which has pretty much taken over everything. My heart tells me it won't be long.
I am her primary caregiver. I cool her fever, make sure she is comfortable, feed her when she is able to eat. Not as a nurse, but as a husband. I think I understand now what marriage really is. It is being given the gift of caring for the one I love.